Following the omission of Nigerian match officials from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed deep concern over the quality of refereeing in the country.
The development comes after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) excluded Nigerian referees from the list of officials selected for the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to hold in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
In a statement released on Thursday, the NFF disclosed that its Executive Committee evaluated the performances of referees across all domestic competitions the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Nigeria National League (NNL), Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) and Nationwide League One and registered strong dissatisfaction with the overall ratings of many officials.
As part of corrective measures, the NFF Refereeing Development Committee has handed indefinite suspensions to eight referees drawn from the NPFL, NWFL and NNL, preventing them from officiating matches in a move aimed at addressing misconduct and safeguarding the integrity of the sport.
Earlier in October, CAF announced a list of 94 referees, instructors and assessors invited for a preparatory course ahead of the tournament, with no Nigerian included. The list was later trimmed to 73 officials for the final AFCON selection.
Commenting on the absence of modern officiating tools, NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, revealed that the federation has urged government authorities to equip stadiums with Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology.
According to The PUNCH, Sanusi explained that the NFF does not own the stadiums, noting that they are controlled by state or federal governments. He added that while the federation can only make appeals, it is also exploring ways to collaborate with stadium owners to ensure VAR installation.
Read also: Nigeria misses out as CAF appoints 73 referees for AFCON
In response to CAF’s decision, the President of the Nigeria Referees Association, Sanni Zubair, admitted that Nigerian referees fell short of CAF’s requirements, disclosing that the country currently has just one elite referee eligible for selection.
Zubair told The PUNCH that possessing a FIFA badge alone does not guarantee qualification, adding that the country’s lone elite referee failed to pass the required assessment tests.
He further explained that referees advance through different categories annually, supported by continuous training programmes, courses and examinations designed to enhance their competence.
“Referees move up levels every year, and with consistent training and success in elite examinations, Nigerian officials will regain their standing,” he said.
Meanwhile, a FIFA-certified referee who spoke on condition of anonymity maintained that Nigerian referees are capable of handling continental assignments and called on the NFF to provide greater institutional backing.
He noted that other countries having more elite referees does not necessarily translate to superior quality, adding that Nigerian officials continue to receive CAF appointments outside AFCON competitions.
He also urged the federation to strengthen its engagement at the continental level and emphasised the need for domestic application of VAR to allow referees gain practical experience.
